Beyond jellybeans: Five gifts that give life, not cavities

Looking for an Easter gift that will offer hope instead of trips to the dentist? Consider giving a gift through World Vision’s Gift Catalog that can honor a loved one and bring new life to a child, family, or entire community in need.

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. —John 10:10 (NIV)

As we reflect on the life and ministry of Jesus Christ this Easter season, you may be looking for a new way to celebrate the hope of the resurrection that doesn’t involve a sugar high.

Consider donating one of the life-giving items below through World Vision’s Gift Catalog. You can honor a loved one and empower children, families, and communities in need.

Four chickens: $50

Chickens are a great source of nutrition and income for a family in need. Fresh eggs provide protein and other nutrients for children’s diets, and a surplus of these can be sold to provide money to care for other needs — like school fees, medical care, clothing, and more.

But that’s not all. Chickens multiply, and when they do, the chicks can be sold to bring in even more income — and help even more families in need!

Tools, training, and seeds: $52

In rural areas of the developing world, agricultural families often rely heavily on good crop yields to feed their children and make a living. That’s why the gift of tools, training, and seeds is so valuable.

Put together, these resources help provide nutrition, income, and stability for struggling families.

Goat: $75

One of the most popular items in the Gift Catalog, goats offer numerous benefits to families in need. They’re a source of nutritious milk, cheese, and yogurt. In fact, a healthy goat can produce up to 16 cups of milk per day. It’s easier to digest than cow’s milk, and it provides an easy source of calcium and protein for growing children.

Just like chickens, a surplus of the food products from goats can be sold for extra income. So can their young when they multiply. Plus, manure from goats can be used to fertilize crops and gardens.

15 fruit trees: $90

The gift of fruit trees is another way to equip a family with a resource that provides numerous benefits. Apple trees, orange trees, mango trees, and other healthy fruit trees provide the vitamins and nutrients growing kids need. And selling the extra fruits from these trees can provide a family with a steady source of income — while the seedlings can be given to another family in need.

Apart from their multiplying benefits, fruit trees are good for the environment. In many areas of the developing world, deforestation leads to soil erosion and flooding. Your gift can help counter this, while providing a sustainable source of food and income.

Share of a deep well: $100

No resource is more fundamental to life than clean water. But millions around the world simply don’t have access to it. The result is a perpetual state of poverty, where children and adults are routinely sick, keeping them out of school and hindering their income-generating activities. Hours are spent fetching water from a distant source that is often not even safe to consume.

That’s why donating a share of a deep well is a critical step toward helping a community escape poverty. A deep well can provide up to 2,800 gallons of clean water a day to benefit as many as 300 people. In addition, a deep well can cut a community’s child death rate by as much as half. Waterborne ailments like diarrhea will be reduced dramatically. This is an ideal way to improve the health and productivity of an entire community.

Additional ideas

Browse the World Vision Gift Catalog for more than 100 other ways to honor a loved one and equip children, families, and communities to escape poverty and experience a brighter future.